Vibrant Neon Agar Noodles (Print Version)

Chilled agar-agar noodles bursting with neon colors and served with a savory soy-based dipping sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Neon Agar-Agar Noodles

01 - 2 cups water
02 - 0.25 ounce agar-agar powder
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - Assorted neon food coloring, food-safe (gel or liquid), as needed

→ Dipping Sauce

05 - 0.33 cup soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon mirin
08 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1 scallion, finely sliced
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

→ Garnish

13 - Microgreens or edible flowers (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a saucepan, combine water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the agar-agar is completely dissolved and mixture reaches a boil, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat and divide liquid evenly into separate bowls for each color. Add a few drops of neon food coloring to each bowl and stir until fully incorporated.
03 - Using a syringe or squeeze bottle, pipe the colored agar mixture into a bowl of ice water, forming thin noodle-like strands. Allow to set for 1 to 2 minutes until firm. Alternatively, pour the mixture into a flat tray, let it solidify, then cut into thin noodles with a sharp knife.
04 - Collect the set noodles, rinse briefly with cold water, drain thoroughly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in sliced scallion and toasted sesame seeds, if using.
06 - Arrange chilled noodles in small bundles on serving bowls. Garnish with microgreens or edible flowers if desired. Serve immediately alongside the prepared dipping sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly bouncy and fun to eat, nothing like regular noodles in the best way possible.
  • You can make it hours ahead and keep it chilled, which means less last-minute kitchen stress when guests arrive.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not serving anyone a separate plate.
02 -
  • Agar-agar sets much faster than gelatin, so work quickly once you've removed it from heat or it'll start gelling in the pot and ruin your noodle plan.
  • The key to neon colors that actually look vibrant is using gel food coloring and keeping your mixture translucent rather than opaque, so the light passes through.
  • Ice water is non-negotiable for setting; room temperature water will let the strands dissolve and you'll end up with colored soup instead of noodles.
03 -
  • If you don't have a syringe or squeeze bottle, you can use a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, though the syringe gives you finer control for thinner noodle strands.
  • Spirulina, butterfly pea flower, or beet juice create beautiful natural colors if you want to skip food coloring entirely and lean into the organic aesthetic.
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